Weekly Tour: Andreea Avram Rusu's Miami Before and After

Brooklyn designer, Andreea Avram Rusu, took an outdated Miami apartment and transformed it into a spacious vacation home for a large family. Read what Andreea has to say about this spectacular before and after.

I design for effortless living. This vacation apartment utilizes every inch of space to make living and entertaining easy, yet is stylish and vibrant. I believe a vacation apartment should be both uplifting and serene. I wanted to bring in the colors of the ocean and the exuberance of Miami.

The apartment accommodates three generations of a large New York family. To this end, a one bedroom apartment was converted into a two bedroom apartment. The existing kitchen is now a children’s guest room. With flexibility in mind, the master bedroom sleeps a couple or two siblings, while the living room sofa folds out for the grandchildren.

I wanted the apartment to be perfect for two or for 20 people. My client hosts frequently, especially during holidays. I created an open kitchen that is part of the entertaining. The bar conveniently doubles as a buffet thanks to a minimal cooktop.

The dining room table seats up to 12. A geometric arrangement of Chagall lithographs creates a focal point in this space.

In the living room, two side tables function as a coffee table. They can be used as occasional tables or moved out of the way for a crowded party. The furniture is placed to allow easy movement from the living room seating group to the kitchen bar and dining room table without stepping around large furniture. The living room’s round zebra rug playfully defines the seating group and visually answers to the dramatic dining room chairs. Discreet cable lighting highlights the vibrant silk curtains in the living room.

The secret of a successful modern apartment is plenty of storage. I designed the built-in cabinet, stretching from the dining room to the living room, to maximize storage and enhance both spaces. The recessed section on the living room side enlarges the space at seating level while creating end tables and a serving counter.

The interior design is very much a mix of high and low, custom and retail, vintage and contemporary. Nothing is too precious. The sofa from Room & Board and dining table from Bo Concept are combined with Phillippe Starck dining chairs, Eileen Gray Side Tables and Harry Bertoia bar stools.

Vibrant colors are offset by clean neutral tones. Formal textures are layered over informal textures as with the iridescent silk pillows on the cotton velvet sofa. The curtains and comforter covers are all custom made from Indian silks found in New York City’s garment district, while the striped sheer curtain fabric is from Kirk Brummel. The apartment is tied together with a white glass tile floor. A smaller tile of the same material covers all four bathroom walls. Carrara Gold marble sets the kitchen and bathroom counter tops apart. The dining room chandelier is vintage, as are many of the Murano glass accessories.